I’ve been a tea drinker all my life; it’s a daily routine. Possibly because I’m British, it’s a routine within my day that I don’t think about, yet every version of myself has been through this routine.
Recently, I have been thinking about those versions of Shannon that have woken up in the morning, made tea, and how that woman felt that day in different times and stages of her life. How she used her time, and what was taking up space in her brain that day.
January is a big time for reflection for my husband and I, and although I wouldn’t describe us as the type to make New Year’s resolutions, we do start every year with clear goals. There’s a rule in our house: Don’t say it out loud unless you mean it.
If we’ve agreed on it out loud, we will be in the boat together, making our goals and the other person’s goals happen. Many of those versions of myself in the past have been aiming for something or working at something to create a life we wanted and accomplish a goal we had in mind.
Now, our family has reached a different place—one where we met our original goals—and it’s time to set new goals and dream big again. This year, the goal is less about building a life and more about living the life we’ve built. It’s time to give ourselves back a little more time and headspace, moving away from the chaos.
This January, I’m in a different place in life than last year. Last year, I was working full-time, pregnant, and very much in survival mode, physically and mentally. This year, I’m not working after taking an extended maternity break, not pregnant, and not in survival mode.
I have been in pure support mode, caring for our house, our 3-year-old, a newborn, and my husband, who switched careers. But now, we have reached a time where I can start to begin again, and I’m truly excited about it.
Here are some things I’ll do this year as I figure out my next steps.
- I must be ruthless with what occupies space in my mind. What adds value to me, and what do I not have time for? This includes the content I watch, the people I speak to, and everyday tasks.
- I will make time in my day to read more, listen to more audiobooks, and reflect. I want to learn and deepen my knowledge of topics I know nothing about and subjects I used to love.
- Clean less and outsource more – giving myself that time back and getting a housekeeper to free up time to do what I want, maybe a meal delivery service and upgrading the house with organization systems that make our life easier. Removing any mom/wife guilt and accepting I can’t do it all – and don’t want to do it all – there’s no special award for burnout.
- I will write and journal thoughts more and feel comfortable that my thoughts and opinions have evolved and will continue to do so. Being unapologetic about those thoughts and opinions.
- Find myself a part-time weekly routine. A routine that is a combination of learning, working, and giving myself the time and space to be creative. I feel more ambitious than ever, but in this new stage of my life, the term ambitious means something new to me, and I’m excited to figure out what that means.
